The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure aimed at decentralizing the governance structure of the Department of Education (DepEd), a move lawmakers say will improve policy implementation, boost administrative efficiency, and enhance the quality of education across the country.
House Bill No. 9358, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, was passed through a voice vote on Tuesday.
Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo, principal sponsor of the measure and chairperson of the House Committee on Basic Education, said the proposal addresses governance challenges that emerged following the expansion of the country’s basic education system.
“By strengthening the institutional capacity of DepEd at all levels, we improve policy implementation, administrative efficiency, accountability, and ultimately, the quality of education delivered to every Filipino learner,” Romulo said.
According to the lawmaker, the implementation of the K to 12 program and the establishment of senior high schools significantly increased the number of schools, students, teachers, and administrative responsibilities nationwide, exposing limitations in the department’s current governance framework.
Under the proposed measure, regional and local education offices would be granted greater authority and flexibility to adapt national policies to local conditions and provide stronger technical support to schools division offices.
The bill also allows the creation of multiple schools division offices within a province, city, municipality, or cluster of local government units, subject to the approval of the education secretary. The proposal is expected to ease the workload of division offices currently overseeing hundreds of schools, including those located in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
In addition, the measure authorizes the reorganization and establishment of new school districts when necessary to improve field-level supervision and ensure more efficient delivery of education services.
“Educational governance cannot adopt a purely one-size-fits-all approach, especially in a country as geographically and culturally diverse as the Philippines,” Romulo emphasized.
Lawmakers said the measure reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen DepEd’s governance structure, improve the implementation of the K to 12 program, and address operational challenges faced by regional education offices nationwide.